Mitsubishi GR-HEV Concept

When Mitsubishi first previewed this GR-HEV concept ahead of the 2013 Geneva auto show, we were intrigued by its diesel-electric hybrid powertrain. Now that the sheets have been pulled back, we’re still curious, but by golly the thing’s ugly. But like momma says, it’s what’s on the inside that counts—good thing, because outwardly, this pickup is seriously odd-looking.

The GR-HEV doesn’t immediately shout “truck!” upon first glance. It has a swoopy, aerodynamic-looking body that, uniquely, features an exaggerated coke-bottle shape. Mitsubishi calls the GR-HEV a sport-utility truck. Unlike past SUT efforts from the likes of Hummer and Honda, viewed from the front or the side, it’s not immediately clear that the growth off of the back of the GR-HEV is a bed—from most angles, it sort of resembles a large trunk. Size-wise, the concept casts a shadow that’s roughly the same size as a Honda Ridgeline, so it’s not tiny.

Vaguely Diesel-Electric

The forward-thinking styling is backed up by an equally new-think hybrid system. A diesel 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine is paired with a “high-performance” electric motor and battery, and gets an advanced four-wheel-drive system. The driver can select from two rear-wheel-drive settings (regular and high efficiency) and two four-wheel-drive setups with the same choices. Diesel hybrids are still pretty unique—Volvo’s V60 hybrid comes to mind, as does Subaru’s Viziv concept, which also debuted in Geneva—and dropping such a powertrain into a pickup is new.

Curiously, Mitsubishi’s GR-HEV pre-Geneva preview mentioned a plurality of electric motors; the final announcement lists only one, and also fails to specify whether it’s mounted up front with the engine or out back powering the rear axle, similar to the setup in the upcoming Outlander plug-in hybrid. Regardless, Mitsubishi claims the hybrid is pretty clean for a pickup, emitting just 149 g/km of CO2 emissions.

Features-wise—at least hypothetically—the GR-HEV carries an AC power supply system for charging everyday items, as well as safety gear like adaptive cruise control, forward collision mitigation with automatic braking, and lane-departure warning.

Back in reality, the GR-HEV could be a peek at a new, homegrown pickup for Mitsubishi. The brand has gone without a pickup offering since Chrysler killed the Dodge Dakota mid-size pickup, which had formed the basis for Mitsu’s also-dead Raider. Or the GR-HEV simply could be a showcase for new hybrid technology Mitsubishi is looking at. Either way, the company is going to need a lot more than a fancy hybrid or a pickup (or both) in the U.S. to successfully bail out its sinking operations here.